Beauty, The Begining
by Word Player
Summary: The Jokers' legacy is fear and infamy. But what of his past? What drove him crazy, what made him deranged, mad for the sake of insanity? As a young man, what shaped his life? His family? His heart? How did an ordinary anybody become the one-&-only Joker?
1. Begining

_A brief summary_

First, thanks for the click. Hopefully you'll enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed making this. Second, this is supposed to be the first part in a three-part series. Hopefully they won't go on forever and I'll get to finish it. Third, this is a behind the scenes story – an explanation as to how the Joker became the Joker. Where did it start? Why does he have those scars? What drove him to that insanity? So, as a pre-story, a few basic things. This is set in the late nineties/early millenia, as I assume The Dark Knight is in the future. Ergo, cell phones are common and computer hacking is just reaching its peak. The story follows a few main characters, and p.o.v. switches around, a tad. As for the rest, dear reader, you will have to see.

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**Beauty (The Beginning)**

The only reason Corinne was even in this class was because she had already taken all the others. As the only underclassman in the combined English 12/ Creative Writing class, she wasn't exactly comfortable sitting around with all the disgruntled seniors. She sighed, her day swiftly spiraling down. First bell and she was already rather annoyed with school in her middle-class suburbia hometown.

It wasn't a bad school, she thought as the teacher began a lecture on Emily Dickinson, but it was. . . . normal. There were a few kids living on food stamps, a few more who drove a Benz to school, but most were middle-class, blue collar kids. Many wouldn't go to college, Corinne realized, glancing around her cramped classroom. Her eyes rested on one outcast ( a bit like her) sitting even further back than she was.

David. Tall, lean with slightly greasy hair and a rather dark demeanor. He seemed to always wear dull colors and Corinne couldn't remember the last time he had spoken in class. Definitely not going to college Corinne decided as she continued to look over him. Lean might not be a good word for him, she thought. He had definite arm and back muscles, lazy posture and dark brown eyes that flickered from the teacher to the pencil in his hand. His clothes weren't dirty, but they were definitely . . . . .old.

Corinne shifted slightly in her seat and suddenly found herself eye-to-eye with David. Her eyes widened slightly, in surprise and she let her gaze continue around the classroom, as if the small gesture had been in total coincidence. David shook his head, barely, and continued writing, if only half of what the teacher actually said made it onto his paper.

The younger girl bit her lip and opened her binder, beginning to jot down notes furiously, trying not to think of how embarrassed she must look to these older, more mature, cooler seniors. Around kids her own age she was much more comfortable. She didn't know how to act in the room of disgruntled, on edge kids who were dying to leave this town.

Her eyes narrowed.

She would make it. No way would she be stuck here forever. Or for even a day more than absolutely necessary.

Towards the end of the class, just when everyone was starting to pack up, the teacher stood up. Corinne sighed. Crap. So she had remembered that project. Corinne pushed a few stray summer-blonde bangs out of her eyes and smoothed down her jean skirt, a few centimeters longer than dress code, and eyed the teacher.

"You will work in pairs-"

That sucks, Corinne thought, glaring at the elderly professor.

"Two weeks, in that time you will do-"

Getting out a piece of scrap paper the girl jotted down the assignment. A poster, a paper and a power point. What did this woman want, a thesis on Dickinson? Analyze one poem. Corinne rolled her eyes. Writing was so useless. She couldn't wait until Anatomy and Physiology. Now there was a worthwhile class.

"You may choose your partners now. The bell rings in five minutes."

Corinne looked up, startled. Oh god. She knew maybe five people in the class of nearly thirty. No one would want to pair with her – they all had their own friends. She looked around and again her eyes found David. She ducked her head, acting like she was putting away her things.

Even David would be better than letting the teacher call her out in front of everyone. Taking a deep breath, Corinne stood and turned around, about to make her way over to the back of the room, a small inhale of breath came as she saw David standing a few desks behind hers.

"Need a partner?" David asked. One hand in his pocket, the other resting on a messenger back slung across his shoulder

What a voice. . .

"Yeah, sure." Corinne nodded, thankful just to have anybody rather than to be publicly assigned someone by the teacher. She dug out the scrap piece of paper. "Do you have a phone?"

In the pause that followed Corinne looked up. David was frowning.

"I'll just give you my home number." He muttered, taking the pen neatly out of her hand and scribbling down the seven digits. "Call really late or right after school." He added. "Do you have a cell?" He asked her.

Corinne shook her head.

"My mom won't let me get one." She said, narrowing her eyes. "I'll just trade home numbers." Tearing off a strip of paper, Corinne wrote down her own number and handed it to him. "Anytime."

David took the paper and nodded.

"Alright."

The bell rang and there was a mad rush for the door. Corinne shrugged her over-large purse higher onto her shoulder and did a swift-about face after the herd had left. David too, exited swiftly, and they nodded to each other as they went down to different hallways.

'Need a partner?'

That one, simple, single question would change both their lives. Forever.

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Updates will be fast, and usually short and sweet. What do you kids think?


	2. Belittle

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Longer, but not quite as fun. More David in the next chapter, which will follow him.

Thank you for reviewing. I really appreciate you all.

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After the bus dropped Corinne off a block from her house, she walked slowly, trying to ignore the pounding headache already building in her head. It wasn't a particularly strenuous day at school, but it was still school, and that alone was enough to make her head throb.

Besides, her mother was home. She walked up her well-to-do step path, past the white SUV and blue Honda, and around the side of the house, pushing open the back gate slowly. Noise was the last thing that she wanted. If she could simply get into the house and into her room without anyone knowing then everything would be golden. She could call David ( his number still crushed in her pocket) arrange a meeting, and then not worry about anything.

She closed the gate, tiptoed around her decrepit beagle and opened the back door slowly. The TV was on – probably a background for mother as she cooked. Corinne quickly slipped inside and shut the door. Barely daring to breath, she twisted and went up the stairs, neatly turning away from the kitchen. Getting upstairs without incident, she sighed and grabbed the nearby cordless.

It was a thing of beauty, it really was. Just as she was about to open her door she heard footsteps behind her. Her light brown eyes widened.

"Where have you been?"

Corinne turned to face her mother. Juliet Queens stood with one hand on the banister, still halfway down the stairs, glaring fiercely at her daughter. She was middle aged – late thirties, with bleached out hair and a grey stare that pierced through any lie.

"School." Corinne muttered, dropping her gaze to the floor. How many times had she gone through this? It was so pointless.

"You better not be lying." Juliet said angrily, her eyes narrowing. She was just about to head back downstairs when she noticed the phone in Corinnes hand. "Who are you calling?"

The teenager looked at her mother, a pleading look in her eyes. Just believe her, please. "I need to call a friend about a school project. We need to go to the library."

Determining that the library wasn't exactly prime excuse material for the average delinquent, Juliet frowned in response. "Be quick about it. I'm expecting a call." She snapped as she headed back down the stairs to continue cooking.

Corinne slid into her room, not even answering her mom. It would be pointless anyways. And besides, the last time Corinne had a phone call last more than five minutes Juliet had gotten on the phone and started screaming at her from the other line. An embarrassment she did not want to relive.

Setting her bag down, she pulled the number out of her pocket and dialed, placing the receiver in between her chin and shoulder as she began to rearrange the objects in her backpack. She didn't have long to wait, as by the second ring David had picked up.

"Hello?"

Corinne was startled, "Uh," she stuttered, "Hey. When do you want to get together for that English. . . thing?"

A pause and Corinne continued to place her books in various places around the room, beginning to pace.

"Can you make it today?" David asked, not bothering with the preliminary hello's and how-de-do's.

"Uhm." Corinne paused. Today would be a good day to do it. Yesterday she would have Spanish club, and the day after that was Friday. She knew nothing would get done then. "Yeah, today's pretty good. Are we just going to the library or are we going to go to someone's house to work?"

"The library's fine." David said, the answer quick. "Unless you want to work at your house, my house is a little . . . cramped."

"No, the library sounds good."

The pause lasted longer than was comfortable. It was almost like they had just figured something out about the other. Neither knew what was really going on, but each had an idea.

"Meet you in an hour?" Corinne finally offered.

"Yeah. That'll work." David said. "See you then."

"Yeah, bye."

Corinne returned the phone, went to the bathroom and then went back to her room. An hour would give her time to eat and bike over there. First she changed, slipping out of her trim skirt and into a pair of loose shorts. Frowning at her refection she put her hair up in a quick ponytail and grabbed a bag from her closet, stuffing her binder and a few pens before heading downstairs.

The tough part.

"Mom?" She asked carefully, edging into the kitchen slowly, trying everything she could not to startle her (sudden movement, an annoying voice, loud steps, a sneeze or a cough). "Can I go to the library after brunch?"

"Don't expect me to get you there," Juliet snapped, not even looking at her daughter. "Your father should be home any second. Set the table."

Corinne smiled to herself and quickly set the table, fork, knife, plate, glass. A second after she had finished there came a bang from the front door. Corinne looked up and saw her father walk in, looking rather tired and already depressed. Not a great sign, but it could be worse.

Juliet nearly skipped over to her husband, ushered him to the table, served him food, glared at Corinne to say grace and then, after the silent meal was over, shooed Corinne into the kitchen. The girl rolled her eyes and quickly cleaned up. She would get yelled at later, but at the state she was going, she would be late anyway. It was a good twenty minute bike ride to the library.

Getting out of the house and onto the fairly new bike, Corinne checked to make sure there was a lock and headed off, glad that lower-class suburbia still sprung for sidewalks.

At the library, she locked her bike up and noticed how hot it was. Thankfully she wasn't sweating too bad, but her face was definitely red. Oh well. There was a water fountain inside somewhere.

She walked into the library and glanced around. It was divided into two main seconds, and then subdivided further. One part was for meeting places and study rooms, the other for books and computers. Corinne stood in the front entrance for a few seconds before turning towards the study rooms. She didn't see David and just picked out a table, placing her stuff down lightly and sitting down next to it.

She dug out her book and was just about to skim through it when she noticed someone over her shoulder. Turning she was started to see David, arms folded, almost as if he was laughing at her, looking at her as she held her book.

"I'm over here." He said, walking towards the back.

Corinne picked up her stuff and followed. She wasn't about to argue. She never did.


	3. Believe

Thanks for the review. A bit more interaction and following David, who I'm really starting to love.

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David waited until the last bell rung and calmly reached for his stuff, waiting until the stampede had slowed down. He didn't mind not beating the buses. If he just waited ten minutes, not only would all the buses be gone, but most everyone else too. It wasn't too hard to take your time in school. He didn't really socialize very much, but he did talk to people.

Going by his locker, he pushed back his hair away from his face as he emptied out his backpack. He actually did have homework, but he really wasn't going to be bothered with it. He had good grades without that busy work.

"Hey there David." Came a breathy voice from next to him. David moved his locker door a few inches and leaned back. Oh. Her again. When would she take a hint? Did he need to slap her in the face with it?

"Hey."

The girl giggled like it was the funniest joke she had heard in a while. David rolled his eyes, thankful that at least a short strip of metal protected him from that witch. Glancing at a clock on the wall he realized he still had about seven minutes to kill. Damn.

"So what have you been up to?"

David was just about to shut his locker when he saw his blazing orange English book. That shit? Well, it was a project grade, and not just his at stake. Might as well. Besides, Corinne was interesting. At least slightly.

"David?"

More interesting than this bitch.

"Yeah, what's up?" David muttered, taking the book and using his shoulder to push the door closed. With his free hand he swung the lock onto the clasp and locked it quickly. Five minutes. Was god really this angry at him? Well, he was going home. . . .

"Not much, you know? Just sort of, well, doing school stuff. I've been having trouble in Calculus, I suppose calculations aren't my thing, right?" She laughed breathily and David decided that if he was going to occupy his time with amusing himself by imagining many gruesome deaths for this annoying brat he might as well look at her.

Lorie Charmaine was quite possibly one of the most annoying people David had ever met. She was slightly short for her Junior year, with a relatively normal frame, not really thin, not exceptionally pudgy. With dyed black hair and purple tips, she tried far too hard to fit in anywhere. The Gothic's saw right through her and the Punks didn't like her softer side that the Goths might have forgiven for sensitivity. Besides, if you weren't doing something sharper than Advil you really weren't going to fit in well. Wearing a mixture of preppy Old Navy and Gap clothing didn't give her any edge either, considering the crowd she was trying to butt her way into. Volleyball was her thing, but, if David remembered right, the Volleyball team won only two out of twelve matches last season.

"Yeah, I guess so. I didn't have much trouble last year."

"Really? Well you're really smart, you know. I'm just a little slower I suppose." Lorie gave that breathy giggle and David had to resist the urge to slap her – again. Did she think it was attractive to point out her flaws? Her flattery was borderline imbecilic and her degradation of herself was beyond disgusting. The world was already out to get her, why did she need to be so down on herself?

"Right." David agreed, shifting from one foot to another and chewing on his bottom lip (a bad habit he had developed over the summer during his dull job) as he glared at the clock above Lorie's head and across the way.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" Lorie asked, blue-green eyes wide, her too-dark eye shadow smudged slightly.

Fuck. You had to give the girl a bit of credit, David thought, his lips twitching slightly. (Oh no, hopefully she wouldn't interpret his wry amusement for actual excitement) The girl had balls.

"Sorry Lorie, I have an English project. I need to get it done." He shrugged, not really being nice about it either.

"Do you want some help?" Desperate much?

"I have a partner." Two minutes? Fuck it. He would start walking out to his car now. "Hmm. I'm going to walk out now. Don't you have volleyball practice?" He asked, sliding around her and barely giving her a backward glance.

"Yeah! Bye David!" Thrilled that he even remembered. "See you later!"

"Sure." David answered, raising a hand limply in a goodbye gesture, then sticking his hands in his pockets. Her turned his head slightly towards her and gave her a half-smile, "Break a leg."

"Thanks David!" Lorie said, giggling and running off to the gym.

David smiled to himself and continued walking out of the main hall. Literally? Good luck his ass, that wasn't what he was thinking.. That girl made it too easy, she really did.

Pulling into his driveway, David shifted into park, easing off the clutch of his crappy white Toyota Corolla, stepping out of the driver's seat and grabbing his bag. Throwing it over his shoulder he made sure his doors were locked and went inside. He hadn't even set his bag down when the phone started to ring.

Slightly startled David immediately picked up the receiver next to his hand.

"Hello?" He asked, curious as to who had such perfect timing. Corinne. Well damn, that girl had an amazing sense of time. When did he want to do the project. The sooner the better.

"Can you make it today?" He asked, shrugging his bag off his shoulder and sitting down at the counter that the phone sat on. Oh god, did she really want to come over to his house? The place was a dump, lying on the outskirts of town, weeds and crab grass polluted the front lawn, beer cans stacked high in the recycle bins (His father for once had been grateful for his son's savvy, 'More room' he had grunted) there were clothes and plates everywhere- the product of two lazy men living together by themselves.

He quickly suggested the library and then her house, and was surprised when she answered just as fast as he did.

What was wrong with her end? David wondered through the awkward pause on the line. He really had nothing more to say, so he didn't say anything.

An hour? No problem.

"See you then."

He hung up the phone and slid off his chair, grabbed his bag and went into his room. He grabbed a few literary analysis books he had collected and another of poems and then left his room, locking the door. He went to the kitchen and wrote down a quick note for his dad (like he would even read it anyway) and then left.

It only took twenty minutes to get to the library. Once there, he claimed a table in the back, secluded and private, where even the low murmur of the studiers wouldn't reach him. Leaving his stuff, he started to collect books and a novel he had been wondering about. He went back to his table and began to read, waiting for the next thirty minutes.

Around the time Corinne might show up, he stood and began to wander around the library, taking looks at people and imagining how their life might really be. Where they good in bed, did they have a bad past? Did they hate their job or love one child more than the other? His lips twitched as he saw an extremely attractive girl turn away from a rather greasy library attendant. He saw the way his eyes danced across her ass, and with a cynical little laugh he turned away and saw Corinne sit down at a table.

He walked over and looked over the girls shoulder. Obviously she was not very excited about this project. She looked up and he smiled slightly.

"I'm back here." David said, and began walking towards the back. She got up immediately and followed him. No questions asked.

Once at the table she put her stuff down and looked at David imploringly. She had plopped down rather gracelessly in her chair while David slid down, smooth as ice.

"I'm not even going to front with you." Corinne said and David looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't understand a word of what that woman was saying. I don't get words and I certainty don't dissect poetry."

David laughed. It was really only a small chortle, but rarely did David laugh out loud at anything. Corinne looked uncomfortable so he stopped and shook his head.

"Hey, don't worry about it." He said, smiling and pulling her book towards him, flipping to the poetry and then pushing it back to her. "It's not as hard as you think. You just need to realize that what's there really isn't there."

"Okay Morpheus, let me make this a bit more clear." Corinne said, smiling a bit herself, sitting up a little straighter. "I think poetry's useless."

"That's a tad harsh."

"What's the point?" Corinne asked, looking down hopelessly at her book. "It seems like such a waste of time."

"Do you like literature?" David asked smoothly, crossing his arms and watching the girl.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't think it's worth the time of day to read fiction. It's just made-up right? So isn't it just a book of lies?"

David laughed again and shook his head, his dark hair falling into his face before he pushed it back.

"It's not the lies that make the book Corinne." The girl loved the way he said her name, with more emphasis on the 'I' making it sound like Kor-een, "It the way you make them real." David said. It wasn't just books he was talking about.

Corinne sighed.

"I still think it's useless." She muttered, slouching down on the table.

"Lets see if I can prove you wrong."


	4. Beer

Thanks to the reviewers. And those who read, and didn't review. Yeah, I appreciate you too. :)

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The two had digressed. Far from discussing the inner workings of Emily Dickinson, they had moved on from the usefulness of literature to modern media then to how MTV was solely responsible for the mental retardation of their current generation.

"It's utterly pointless."

"Most t.v. programs are." David said, inspecting his nails absentmindedly. Corinne glared at ham, annoyed by his lack of real opinion.

"They're all run by money anyway," He continued, shrugging, "I can't say that I really care."

"About the channel?" Corinne asked.

"Nah, the ways in which others make money."

Corinne was very confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's like this." David said, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table. "Money, right? Do you know what it is?"

"A mode for the barter and exchange-"

"No."

"No?" Corinne was incredulous, staring at David as if he were crazy.

"Paper." David explained, self-satisfied to an extreme, his arms now crossed across his chest. "What everyone cares about, spends their lives searching for, what some love, lust, will kill and rape and burn for. Paper. Fucking paper."

"It's more than paper,"

"No."

"The idea behind that paper is what matters," Corinne said, exasperated.

"What's the idea?" He asked, feeling argumentative.

"That it's worth something. That you can use it, that it can better you in life-" The girl explained, leaning forward as David leaned back.

"I don't think like that."

"I got that," Corinne sighed. She didn't want to argue with David but he was so odd sometimes. "The point still stands – it's a dream, it's an aspiration."

"Wake up."

Corrine exhaled sharply and threw herself on the table, her ponytail flopping over her head before she turned her head to see David glancing at his other hands cuticles. She rolled her eyes and sat up, glancing at the clock for the first time since she had stepped into the library.

"Crap!"

A few angry glares from some far away tables made her turn a bright red and caused David to smile slightly at the girl. He assumed that she needed to leave and immediately began stacking the books on the table for the study hall attendant to take back.

Corinne stood up and grabbed her books, walking towards the exit as soon as David had finished. She got outside and looked around, sighing as she viewed the setting sun.

"What?"

"It's nearly thirty minutes to my house."

"So?"

"I rode my bike." She really didn't want to ride home in the dark – she had to bike along a few fast-paced roads to even think about getting back in thirty minutes

David bit his lip and looked at the bike rack. Her's was probably the smallish purple one that looked a few years too young for the girl.

"Want a ride? I can probably fit that bike in the back seat."

Corinne opened her mouth and then closed it. It would be so much quicker but. . . if her mother say her get out of the car with anybody, much less a boy, the questions and punishments would be thick and fast in coming. And her father was probably in his stupor by now, which meant her mother would be in ripe form.

"Sure." Traitor mouth.

They loaded her bike into the back, put their things in the trunk and slid into their seats. David quickly turned the car on and looked at Corinne.

"Uh, left on Clark."

Directions continued and for the most part the two spent the rest of the ride in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, just sort of an acceptance. They didn't have much to say, even if Corinne did want to ask more about how he planned to live his life if he didn't care that much about money.

"Wait!" Corinne said suddenly, right after she had told David to turn onto her street. David stopped the car, and Corinne opened her mouth, looked at him and then down her road.

"Do you want to be dropped off here?" David asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That would be great." Corinne breathed, getting out of the car. David shifted into park and helped the girl get her bike out of the back seat. She got on and rode off before making a turn down a small (he assumed it was) cul-de-sac. He shrugged, got back in his car and easily remembered the way out of Corinne's neighborhood.

He got home and went inside. The tang of cheap booze hit his nose and he went into the kitchen, opening the fridge door and trying to find something to eat.

"Whurrr, have you been." Slurred, deep, gruff. Obviously angry, at best annoyed.

"The library." David replied, standing up and turning around to face his father.

"Really? 'Ouu wouldn' lie to me?"

"No." David shut the fridge door, speaking firmly.

Thomas Kingston nodded. "Fine. Don' eat much."

"Right Dad." David muttered, turning again to the fridge.

"'Ou know." Thomas spun around, wobbly on his feet, but still standing, "I don' believe you."

David took a deep breath and shifted to face his father again. He was a tall man, big burly and muscular. He was a cop during the day and a security officer in the early mornings. David could understand why he drank – he dealt with the inner city crime scene. It couldn't be an easy job. The teenager just wished his dad wouldn't take his bipolar temper out on him.

"Dad. You're drunk."

"You're insolent." Classic police jargon. David clenched his jaw.

"Dad." Repetition, keep the beast calm. "I'm going to bed." It was barely seven.

"Go to bed!" Thomas yelled, angrily pushing his son out of the way to get to the fridge. David slammed into the side of the counter and glared at his father, who was rummaging for another beer.

"Right Dad." David muttered, standing up and going to his room. Only once he had locked his door and shoved a small block underneath the edge did he look at his arm. His forearm had a small cut and was already tender to the touch. He winced and pulled up his shirt, looking at his hip. There was a bruise already forming around his side, across his back.

He grimaced as he pulled his shirt off completely, looking around for some loose pants that wouldn't dig into his side as he slept.

It could have been worse.


	5. Befriend

Thanks for the reviews. A little bit longer now. Again, tell me what you think, every thought is appreciated. Greatly

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It had been a few days since they had gone to the Library. Neither David or Corinne had talked to each other much, Corinne had been planning a trip to the movies and David had been planning to how to avoid his father all weekend.

It was Friday, and of course the last thing that either of the two teenagers wanted to think about was work. But in English, when the teacher mentioned the due date, both of the kids looked at each other. They really hadn't gotten anything done in the two and a half hours they had spent at the library. David laughed a bit and shook his head, turning to face forward again. Corinne heaved a fairly dramatic sigh and put her head on the desk, barely registering what the teacher was saying.

Poetry.

The bell rang and David held Corinne back, grabbing her purse as she was walking out the door. She looked behind her, watching David as he smiled and tilted his head to the side.

"We actually do need to do work."

"Right after school good?" Corinne asked tentatively, still not fully turning around to face David. She really wanted to go to the movies – Sean was going.

"Meet me at my locker, I normally wait a bit before leaving." David said.

"Sure, where is it?"

"233."

"No problem." Corinne said, and started out of the door. She was pulled back (David still hadn't let go of her purse) and she looked around. David was looking at her oddly, a strange, almost calculating smile on his face, as if he was trying to read what was going through her mind.

"I gotta get to class." She said, tugging on her purse. David took a step forward; they were out of the classroom.

"Really?"

"What?" Corinne frowned, confused.

"Nevermind." He smiled, a toothless little twitch of the lips. "Later." He turned and went down the hallway, his tall frame sliding smoothly through the crowded corridors. Corinne shook her head and went to her next class, thoroughly lost.

After the last bell rang, Corinne gathered her stuff and went to the senior section of the lockers, trying hard not to look too out of place. Most of the seniors had already left in the mad dash to make it to their cars before the buses and for an instant Corinne's heart raced – had she missed him? She spun around and just barely saw David coming from an opposite hall and heaved a great sigh of relief. Explaining to her mother why she had missed a bus was not appealing.

"Waiting for David too?"

"Ohmygosh!" Corrine squeaked, nearly jumping into the lockers. She pushed a hand to her heart and stared at the diminutive girl that had nearly given her a heart attack. Leaning against the lockers she glared at the girl as she doubled up in laughter.

"Sorry! I didn' mean to."

Corinne stared at the girl as she stood up straight. "Right."

"Well."

Corinne continued to stare at her.

"Are you?" The girl asked, shaking her head a bit.

"Am I what?"

"Waiting for David!" The girl sighed and rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Corinne shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess."

"He's sooo dreamy." The girl gushed, smiling slightly as she watched David push his way through the diminishing hordes of the commons area. Corinne stared at the girl again, biting down on the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. David, dreamy? Well you heard a new one every day.

"Hey Corinne. Lorie." David said as he walked up to the two girls. Corinne smiled at the boy, still trying not to laugh at Lorie's expression of total rapture as she talked about David. He was just some senior, not Michelangelo's masterpiece.

"Hey David." Lorie breathed, an instant blush lightening up her pale pallor as the boy opened his locker. Corinne nodded and said nothing, but watched as Lorie made the moves on the poor kid. Corinne turned her head at a particularly awful innuendo and glanced at the clock. That's when she saw him.

Tall dark and handsome, Sean was a year older than her. With dark brown, almost black hair, he had a swimmers build and a beautiful jaw line Corinne couldn't even imagine how many girls had traced. They had become friends through mutual friends – mostly chlorine kids that they both knew, and only a few of Corinne's closest girl friends knew about her huge crush on him.

She smiled and looked away, watching Sean out of the corner of her eye as he laughed with his friends, walking towards the exit.

"Hey Corinne!"

She looked up, startled to see that Sean was walking over to her, holding up a hand, asking his friends to wait. He stopped a few feet away from her and she pushed off the lockers, standing with most of her weight on one hip.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Not much, look, I'm just making sure we're still on for tonight. You're not exactly easy to reach, you know?" Sean laughed, flipping his curly hair out of his eyes. "Do you have a ride?"

Corinne shrugged. "I was just going to call Kimber and have her-"

"I'll just give you a ride." Sean said, brushing Corinne's idea aside. Corinne smiled and laughed a bit, pushing her hair off her face.

"Do you know where I live?"

"I picked you up once."

"You remember?"

"Why would I forget?" Sean winked jokingly and turned to go back with his friends. "Later then."

"Yeah!" Corinne called after him, smiling. "See you then!"

Corinne watched him go a few feet and then turned to David and Lorie. The girl was practically drooling and David was watching the front door. Corinne turned to follow the boy's line of sight and saw the door close. David turned to face her and Corinne frowned slightly.

"Wellyouknow,iguessifyou wanted tooooo. . .. " Lorie went on, grabbing David's arm.

"I got to get going Lorie." David said, sliding away from the girl. "Ready?" He said, asking Corinne, who shrugged and smiled.

"Oh. Well. . . I'll see you later David."

"Yeah," David didn't turn around, continuing to walk towards the entrance. Corinne smiled and waved as she walked with David.

"Nice meeting you."

Out in the parking lot Corinne covered her hand to suppress the giggles that came up. David looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Oh David." She gushed, crossing her arms on the roof of his car and watching him as he popped the truck. "You're soooo dreamy."

David rolled his eyes and threw his bag into the back.

"David please, just touch me David. I think I might melt David. Stand closer David, please,please,please?" Corinne smiled and laughed, then puckering her lips in a fake kissy-face made a few immature noises. "You're just so hot I could die." She sighed, opening the door and slipping in as he shut his own.

"Stop or you might."

Corinne sighed. "'m just playing." She muttered, his stern voice making her stop instantly. She buckled her belt on and looked over at David.

Dreamy? Really? Well. . . . dreamy might be pushing it, but, Corinne watched him as he started his car and adjusted the radio.

He wasn't that bad looking. He had a strong jaw, deep set eyes, prominent cheekbones and feminine lips. An incredible body, now that she looked a little harder. There were your normal small scars that happened from rough and tumble play in a schoolyard, a small scar over his left eyebrow and another one beneath his right ear (the only one she could see at this angle). When he put his arm up to grab the steering wheel, however, his shirt sleeve – which was bunched up at the elbow – revealed a long bruise that Corinne hadn't noticed.

"What's this?" She gasped, grabbing his right wrist and pulling his arm towards her. It wasn't an awful looking thing, but it was a dark purple with a small tinge of yellow-green around the edge. It wrapped around his forearm, the lighter skin of his inside arms showing the bright red halo that surrounded the bruise.

"A bruise." David said condescendingly, as if it were obvious, which, he thought, it was.

"No shit, how did you get it?" Corinne asked, looking up at David. The boy was looking down at his arm.

"Ultimate Frisbee with some kids in the neighborhood." He shrugged, looking at the bruise rather than Corinne. "Big monster of a guy tackled me."

Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie.

Corinne could almost feel that he wasn't telling her the truth but she let go of his wrist. He slipped and arm behind her seat and looked behind the car, backing out slowly and then making his way out of the parking lot, turning towards the library.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Corinne tried to break the ice.

"So what's with you and Lauren?"

"Lorie?"

"Her."

David shrugged and (for some odd reason) Corinne traced the outline of his shoulder with her eyes. She realized what she was doing and slowly slid her gaze forward, as if it had never happened.

"Nothing." David said, pushing a button to turn the radio on. "She's just some annoying girl I can't get to leave me alone."

"Why don't you just tell her?" Corinne suggested.

"That didn't work."

Corinne laughed.

"Well take her out on a few dates. It can't be that bad." She said, smiling.

"Did you see her?"

"Are appearances all that matter?" Corinne asked.

"Not at all." They hit a stoplight and David looked over at Corinne. "But that girl is about as shallow as a puddle. She's vapid and boring and beyond superficial. I really couldn't care less about that girl, and certainly don't want to spend time around her." He said, turning to the road again.

"Whoa," Corinne said, turning to stare out the window. "Nevermind." She muttered, switching positions in the seat.

David glanced over at the girl and quickly glanced away again. She had crossed her legs which had made her skirt hike up a little more.

"It's not like you don't act the same way."

Corinne turned sharply , her brown eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Come on," David smiled slightly, "You were practically begging that boy to stick his hand up your shirt."

"What?!"

"You were bending over as he was talking. He was staring at your cleavage the whole time." David said, glancing over at Corinne and biting his lower lip habitually before turning back to the road. "You can't really act like you're better than her."

Corinne opened her mouth and then shut it. What was the point in arguing? Anyway, they had reached the library, and she got out of the car, shutting the door harder than she had intended. She walked towards the entrance, barely waiting a second for David to grab his things. David frowned and caught up to her, catching her again by her purse handles.

"Hey."

"Let's just get this done." Corinne said, not looking at David.

"Sorry, alright. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

Corinne glanced up at David, and then back down at the ground.

"Don't worry about it."

David rolled his eyes and (hand resting lightly in between her shoulderblades) walked with her to the entrance.

"Right. Let's just get this done."


End file.
